Ashanti is an energetic 6th grader who gets out of school each day at 3pm.  What she does within the next three hours after leaving school can have a great impact on her life, character, health, education, and future.  Some young people her age go home, do their home work and engage in meaningful activities, but many others spend their after-school time engaged in non-productive and often unhealthy activities. 

A study by the National After-school Association revealed that 48%-59% of the children who are at home during this after school time spend most of their time watching television or playing video games.  This leads to an over exposure to negative television programming, and the development of such unhealthy behavior.  The result is that the 3pm to 6pm hours is a peak hour time for juvenile crimes and experimentation with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and sex as well as contributing to the growing problem of obesity among young people. This is quite an alarming concern for any parent.

However Ashanti is fortunate because she attends a license after-school program sponsored by A Better World that provides enriching activities to create positive reinforcement, as well as support the educational, social and emotional needs of participating children and their families. These “Exodus to Excellence” (ETE) Community Learning Centers, which are located in four school sites in St. Louis – Missouri, work with academically and economically at-risk students in grades K-8 from 3:00 pm to 6:30 pm. each day. 

When a child steps into an ETE Afterschool program he/she is greeted with a smile.  Afterward they attend “Homework Café” where they receive a nutritious snack, assistance with their homework, and tutoring if they are facing academic challenges.  Next on the agenda is an hour of multi-intelligence enrichment activities that cater to the unique way children learn.  These activities include photography class, arts and crafts, story telling, martial arts, science and technology, African dance and drumming, environment clubs, and much more. 

The enrichment classes also place a great emphasis on service learning and the entrepreneurial spirit.  For example, children in the photography class creates pictures for A Better World’s website, while those in the creative writing classes write articles and comments for A Better World’s e-newsletter and blog.  The art classes take the finished products of the children and hold community art auctions.  There are also plans for a group of children to learn to make t-shirts and participate in a T-shirt business. 

The evening finally ends with a delicious dinner.  After dinner, children are escorted to the bus and are dropped off in front of their own home (not on the corner) where an adult is waiting to receive them.  Parents of children like Ashanti program can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that for five days a week their children have someplace to go after school that is a nurturing and safe environment.

The ETE program is funded in part by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and ARCHS.